This #GivingTuesday, invest in our community's future

As AAI’s 30th year comes to a close, we find ourselves looking more and more to the next 30, and the new generation of leaders that will shepherd our community.

A month ago at our National Leadership Conference, we brought together motivated students newly involved in politics, young Arab American professionals, and seasoned advocates to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing our community, and the road forward. On the last day of our conference, a 17-year-old high school student stood up to ask me “How can I lead the next 30 years?”

The answer I gave him is the same I would give to any young Arab American – we’re here to help. I’ll see that student again this spring for our Arab American Leadership Days here in Washington, DC, and next year in the fall for our leadership conference. In the meantime, our staff will be hard at work connecting him to information and opportunities that will prepare him to fully involve himself in American civic and political life. It’s a commitment that AAI is here to make to anyone looking to be involved.

The next thirty years for the Arab American community will be determined by the drive and involvement of these young leaders, and we’re here to provide the resources and trainings that will allow them to make a difference. We believe that by investing in young Arab Americans, we’re investing in our community’s future, and we want you to join us.

That’s why this past year we have been hard at work growing our programming to encompass younger generations of Arab Americans. From expanding our National Policy Council and investing in leadership development, to launching our “Generations” programming to provide networking and training to promising young Arab Americans, we’re working to set the stage for their – and our community’s – success.

Arab American Generations (AAG), is a comprehensive, integrated approach to more fully engage our alumni, highly-motivated students, and young professionals, as well as with the next generation of Arab American professionals.

A cornerstone of the Arab American Institute’s mission is the development of leadership skills among our community’s elected and appointed officials, thought leaders, community organizers, outstanding young professionals, and students.

AAI offers internships for Arab Americans, college students, recent graduates, and graduate students. Our interns gain hands-on experience in the workings of a busy non-profit with programs that include research, community outreach, media relations, and government advocacy.